Loading apparatus for caulking gun



Feb. 2, 1965 F. J. CYPSER LOADING APPARATUS FOR CAULKING GUN Filed Aug.4, 1961 FIG. 4

INVENTOR FRA K J'OHN CYPSER BY ATTORNE United States Patent 3,163,120LOADING APPARATUS FGR CAULKENG GUN Frank John Cypser, 217 Cliff Sh,Clilfside, NJ. Filed Aug. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 129,362 4 Qiaims. (Cl.141-27) This invention relates generally to a loading apparatus forcaulking guns and the like, and particularly to a loading apparatusincluding means for mechanically loading a caulking gun.

In general, the loading of caulking compound into a dispensing gun hasheretofore involved considerable difficulty and loss of time. Accordingto one common loading practice, the end cap of the gun is first removedand the plunger withdrawn to its fully retracted rearward position. Thenthe compound is painstakingly transferred into the barrel of the gunfrom its container by using a knife or other similar tool. The compoundis ordinarily highly viscous, depending upon its ambient temperature andits weight or grade as originally manufactured. It is also, by nature,extremely adhesive or sticky and hence, does not lend itself readily toloading by the above method. In fact, it is most difiicult, if notimpossible by using the foregoing technique, to pack the compound intothe dispensing gun without leaving voids which later interrupt thesteady flow of compound from the gun during the caulking operation.

Several devices have been proposed to facilitate hand loading ofdispensing guns in an attempt to avoid the above diiiiculties. Forexample, one form of device provides a piston-like member depressible ina receptacle containing compound to force compound or grease through anopening in the member and into a suitably positioned barrel of adispensing gun. In one instance of which I am aware, the force ofsuction resulting from withdrawing the plunger of the gun when thelatter is in sealed engagement with the opening in the piston, is reliedupon to depress the piston and fill the gun with a relatively lowviscous material, such as grease. Alternatively, manual pressure issuggested to be applied to such piston-like devices to depress them,thus forcing material into a dispensing gun. However, pressure must beapplied centrally and evenly respective of the piston and along the axisof the gun, to avoid tilting of the fiat plate-like piston member, whichtilting would permit grease or compound to escape around the edges or"the piston. Moreover, a further and more serious drawback is encounteredwhen a material such as caulking compound is extremely viscous, as mightoccur if the compound were subjected to cold winter temperatures. Insuch circumstances, it is extremely diflicult, and perhaps impossible toapply suflicient pressure manually to force the compound into thedispensing gun.

In order to obviate the several difficulties enumerated which arepresent in the above prior art devices I have devised a completelymechanical system for loading a dispensing gun quickly and precisely,and with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator. The newloading apparatus incorporates the use of a flat piston of the typeheretofore described, in combination with structure for holding andmoving a dispensing gun and a receptacle containing compound relativelytoward each other in a precise path and with the necessary applicationof pressure during loading of the gun. The device includes mechanicaladvantage means for applying pressure to the gun and piston in order toforce the piston into a receptacle containing compound and compound intothe gun. The pressure produced is sufiicient to assure loading of allgrades of caulking, grease and even compounds of the consistency ofputty, without serious effort on the part of the operator. A further andcorrelative advantage consequent upon the ease with which compound may3,158,120 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 now be loaded into a gun, and thecompact shape of the apparatus, is that loading may readily beaccomplished on scaffolds or other workplaces where space is at apremium.

As a further aspect of the invention I have provided a novel containerand cover combination usable in conjunction with the above loadingapparatus. The new cover serves as a piston during the loading operationand is expendible with the receptacle when the latter is empty.

These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent afterexamining the following description in which reference is made, by Wayof a non-limiting example, to one form of construction of a caulking gunloading apparatus devised in accordance with the invention andillustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the loading apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed showing of a portion of the apparatus ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a novel container and cover combination constructed accordingto a further aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing and initially to FIGS. 1-3 thereof, aloading apparatus 10 has been illustrated incorporating the principlesof the present invention. The apparatus 1t includes a main upright framemember 11 attached by welding 12 to a support 13. The support 13comprises in effect, a platform having a circular recess or indentation14 for receiving the base of a generally cylindrical receptacle orcontainer 16. The container 16 is conveniently a standard sized onegallon sheet metal container of the type conventionally found incommercial use, and measuring approximately 6 /2 inches in diameter witha depth or height of approximately inches. Within the container 16 is aquantity of viscous caulking compound 1'7, commonly used to seal thejoints of window frames, as for example, between a window frame and theadjacent mounting structure of a building. Normally the container 16 issold with an inwardly extending annular flange having a lip ordepression therein adapted to receive depending portions of a lid orcover (not shown). In the embodiment illustrated, the annular flange ofthe container 16 has been removed so that the interior side Wallsurfaces thereof present a smooth unobstructed cylindrical surface.

A fiat piston-like member 18 having a diameter approximately that of theinside diameter of the container 16 is inserted through the open top ofthe container to rest against the compound 17. The piston 18 may beconstructed as shown of a main plywood disc section 19 having a groove24 in its outer edge which receives a sealing or packing member such asan O-ring seal 21. In some instances, however, it is not necessary toprovide the seal 21 since normally, the compound 17 tends to seal theedges of the disc 19 against the interior wall surfaces of thecontainer.

At the center of the disc 19 is provided a circular opening 22 having anadjacent downwardly divergent surface 23. The opening 22 is bounded atthe upper surface of the disc 19 by the cylindrical vertical wallportion 24 of a metal collar 25. The collar 25 has a horizontal flange26 extending over upper surface portions of the disc 19 and is affixedthereto by screws 27.

A caulking or dispensing gun 28 is adapted to be held in position forthe loading of caulking compound therein by the apparatus of theinvention. The gun 28 has a barrel 29 and a handle 30 and, asconventional, includes an internally longitudinally slidable plunger orpiston which is attached to a serrated rod 31. The toothed portions ofthe rod 31 are adapted to engage with mating compound-in the gun and toforce the compoundout of thegun. 1

The nozzle end of the gun normally comprises a. threaded cap and nozzletip (not; shown) which engages the open end of the barrel29; When thecap and nozzletip portions-have been removedfrom the barrel 29, the

d. I slide the shaft 4d toward the lower end of the slots 50, 50' todisengagethe sprocket 48 from the teeth 47 of the frame member 11. Theoperator may then rotate the handle 51 upwardly and with a slight upwardmovement openend of. the barrelmay' be placed? over the vertical lip orwall 24 at the centerof the piston 18-1 The handle or base portions ofthe gun;28 are str'addled bytwo symmetrical arms 34-"whichare shaped'to' fit against thebase cap 36 of'thegun. The arms34 form integralportions of a housing 37 which-extends laterally from, the frame member11-; The-housihg 37, which may be fabricated of sheet metal, includesside" walls 38; 39 interconnected by a vertical wall 49 adjacent to theframe member 11 and by an-arcuate-segment or section'4-1- along oppositeedge portions of the ide Walls 38, 39. End reinforcing coll'ars 42;43are secured to-the side walls 38, 39 and to the vertical wall 40 as bywelds 42 43'. Across theinterior of the collars 42 43 areadditionalreinforcing plates 44, 46. The structure just described, comprisesa meanfor slidably mountingthe housing 37 to the frame 11" and a earls foraccurately guiding thehousing during its sliding movement. I

Advantageously, the frame member 11 has beenprovided as shown with aplurality ofteeth 47 which are adapted to'engage with teeth of asprocket gear 48. 'The latter has a central shaft 49 which is receivedwithin'elongated slots-'0, 50 in each of theside walls 38, 39 of thehousing 37. As best seen-in'FIG. 3, the-shaft: 49 has an outwardlyprojecting portion secured to an actuating handie-5-1 by'meansof"a-cross pin 52; T wo'flat washerlikespacer 54, 55'arealsosecuredtotheshaft 49inter= nally'0f the housing walls 38;, 39' whichprevent with drawal of the-shaft4? from" the slot 50 and prevent lateralmovement of the sprocket 48.

In operation; with the caulking'gun 28' and the caulk; ing compoundcontainer 16 in the positionofFIG; 1, the operator of the device'hasmerelyto. depress the handle 51 in the direction of the arrow to fillthe gun 28.. It should be emphasized that the construction'of the deviceis such that the downward pressure orforceis applied at. all times:along the axis of the barrel of the gun 28' and normal'to the horizontalsurface of" the piston 18. The caulking'c'ompound 17' is thussubjectedto pressure which maybe made of,considerable magnitude. due. tothe mech'anicaladvantage achieved by the relationship of the parts" ofthe device includingthe handle. 51, sprocket 48 andith'etoothedframeli..Consequently,.even though the compound 17' be. of anextremley viscousnature and may be in some instances. of a consistency resemblingputtygthe forces applied are such that compound will enter the barrel29of the gun by being forced. upwardly therein throughopening 22 in thepiston 18. The pres-. sure oftheeompound entering through. the barrel 29will normallyforce' the plunger of the gun to retract automaticallytoits rearward or. fullyretracted' positionand' the fillingof'thebarrelmay .be completed withoutleaw ing any void'withinihe gun to causespitting of thecompound .whenit is later dispensedi.

During'the filling operation, it..will usually be necessary 7 for theoperator to depress the handle 51in several. strokes irrorderto' movethe piston and gun downwardly for a sufiicient distance for the barrelofthe gun to befilled. Inthe present instance, I'providev for a simpleunidirectional movementoi' the handle 51 during pressure strokes, by useofithe elongated slots 50., 50' in the housing 37. which journal theshaft 49'. At the completion of a downward stroke of. the handle 51'and. when the shaft is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the operator maysimply.

container and pistonof FIG: 1;

of the sprocket toward the frame 11, engagement of the sprocket frameteethwill again occur. Downward pressure of thehandle 51' acting throughthe respective members 48, 47 when the latter are in-engagernent, willprevent sliding ofthe shaft 49 to. its lower or out of engagementposition.

In FIG. 41 have shown an alternative. form. of piston and containerwhichpossesses certain advantages over the It will beremembered thatwhen using the container 16 of FIG. 1, itiwas necessary to-removethe.inwardly: extending flange normally forming the upper edge of thestandard: commercially used one gallon container; The piston 18 ofEIG..1.'i's intended to be used witlrsuclr standard type containersand-t'obe retained for, future use as each container. is emptied InFIG.- 4; there is disclosed a container 61' having thesamegeneral'dimensions as containerlfi but. having a-lid orcover- 61which may operate as a. piston when used in connection with the presentloading apparatus: Accordingly, the cover 61 has an upturnedouterflanged edge 62;which' rests against the interior wall of theconminer 60' forming a seal therewith. Crimped or folded about the upperedge of the flange 62'isan inturned flange 63 of 'the container 60 whichalso effects a seal with the cover.

frusto-conical cross-section. At the center of the portion 61a, thecover is formed to have a verticalcylindriCal flange 64} Itwill'be-=understood that when the container 60 is placed into theloading apparatus of the invention, the open ended barrel 29' of'acaulking gun-28 may receive internally the verticalflange 64of'the'coveror piston 61. About the upper edge of the' vertical wall portion 64, isa small horizontal cap 66' which will first be removed beforethebarrel'ofthegun 28 is placed'over' the vertical flange 64.

The piston' 61 is formed having a plurality of'radiallyextendingdepressions or ribs 67 which extend from'the center thereofto-the-oute r flange 62. The'ribs'67 pre-- vent buckling of the-pistonwhich under certain circumstances might occur if suflicient pressurewere-applied by the loadingapparatus.

It will be understood, with reference to the piston and container ofFIG;4, that when the cap'66 has been removed from the piston 61 and the-gun28 positioned substantially as shown in FIG. 1 with the container 60resting upon the platform 13, that pressure may be applied in' the'samemanner against the gun and through the piston to the caulking compoundin the container 60. The pressure will-force'the flange. 62 of piston611to. be slidably released by the flange 63 of the container 60. Anytendency for the piston 61 to be fiattenedby pressurewill be resisted bythe engagement of the flange 62 of. the piston againstthe interior ofthe container 60 and by reason of theadditional strength provided by theribs 67. The piston 61', may thus be forced downwardly in the con?tainer 60 and as in the embodiment of FIG..1, compound" from withinthecontainer will be forced up and into the gun. When the container isempty, the container 60 and piston 61 may both be discarded.

Aparticular advantage of the present invention is the ease and extremeprecision with. which a caulking gun may be. loaded. The gun itself isat all times held securely during its movement toward a receptaclecontaining compound and during this movement is guided pre-' 7 The cover61 is made of relatively-thin resilient sheet metal. and has a portion61a of generally flattened Additionally, the loading apparatus possessesthe extremely useful advantage of being able to apply great pressurewhen required, for example, when a particular compound or material to beloaded is extremely viscous. Due to the compactness and great ease ofoperation of the device it may be placed upon a scaffold where space isat a premium and may be easily used by workmen without the dangersinherent in more awkward prior loading practices. This in itself willconsiderably aid in saving time since heretofore it has often beennecessary for a workman to leave a scaffold each time a gun requiredloading.

It will be understood that the foregoing description relates to aparticular embodiment or embodiments and is merely representative.Changes may be made therefrom without departing from the clear teachingsof the invention. Therefore, in order to appreciate fully the spirit andscope of the invention, reference should be made to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A caulking gun loading apparatus comprising a frame, means connectedto said frame for supporting a receptacle containing caulking compound,means connected to said frame for holding a caulking gun with the openended barrel thereof toward said receptacle, piston means slidable insaid receptacle having aperture means generally at the center thereoffor permitting the passage of compound therethrough upon movement of thepiston means into said container, means on said piston adjacent to saidaperture means for permitting engagement between the piston and an endportion of the barrel of the gun and passage of the compound into thegun, the holding means for said gun including guide means slidablyengaging the frame for guiding movement of the gun and piston along thelongitudinal axis thereof and along the longitudinal axis of thecontainer, and mechanically operated mechanical advantage means formoving said receptacle and caulking gun relatively toward each other toforce the piston and gun into the receptacle, whereby compound is movedfrom the receptacle to load the gun.

2. The caulking gun loading apparatus according to claim 1 in whichplatform means are provided for supporting the receptacle and the meansattached to the frame for holding and guiding the caulking gun includesmanually operated press means for moving the caulking gun downwardly andinto the container.

3. The caulking gun loading apparatus according to claim 1 in which thereceptacle is of cylindrical construction and the piston comprises aflat resilient sheet metal member having an upturned flange about theperiphery thereof, the piston serving as a cover for the receptacle whennot in use, the flanged portion of said piston comprising a piston sealduring movement of the piston into the receptacle.

4. A caulking gun loading apparatus comprising an upright frame member,a flat base support therefor, said support comprising a platform forreceiving a generally cylindrical receptacle containing caulkingcompound, a flat plate-like piston adapted for insertion in saidcontainer in juxtaposed relation to the compound, said piston defining acentrally located aperture permitting the passage of compoundtherethrough upon movement of the piston axially and downward into thereceptacle, a housing member slidably movable along the upright framemember having downwardly facing arms adapted to abut and to straddle abase portion of a caulking gun, the opposite end of barrel portions ofthe gun being adapted to cover the opening in the piston, said slidablehousing member and the piston connection with said barrel comprisingguide means for maintaining positive axial downward movement of said gunand piston relative to said receptacle, a sprocket journalled forrotation in said housing having teeth in engagement with mating teeth onthe frame member, a manually operable handle attached to said sprocketfor movement of the sprocket and the arms of the housing relative to theframe, said movement causing the caulking gun to exert pressure againstthe piston and the piston to be depressed within the receptacle wherebycaulking compound will flow from the receptacle into the gun.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,562,250 Patton Nov. 17, 1925 1,981,495 Butler Nov. 20, 1934 2,136,492Creveling Nov. 15, 1938 2,393,217 Brewton Jan. 15, 1946 2,601,169 PurvisJune 17, 1952 2,614,727 Robinson Oct. 21, 1952 2,726,802 Jones Dec. 13,1955 2,925,100 Senger Feb. 16, 1960 3,015,404 Wuyckens Jan. 2, 1962

1. A CAULKING GUN LOADING APPARATUS COMPRISING A FRAME, MEANS CONNECTEDTO SAID FRAME FOR SUPPORTING A RECEPTACLE CONTAINING CAULKING COMPOUND,MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME FOR HOLDING A CAULKING GUN WITH THE OPENENDED BARREL THEREOF TOWARD SAID RECEPTACLE, A PISTON MEANS SLIDABLE INSAID RECEPTACLE HAVING APERTURES MEANS GENERALLY AT THE CENTER THEREOFFOR PERMITTING THE PASSAGE OF COMPOUND THERETHROUGH UPON MOVEMENT OF THEPISTON MEANS ONTO SAID CONTAINER, MEANS ON SAID PISTON ADJACENT TO SAIDAPERTURE MEANS FOR PERMITTING ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE PISTON AND AN ENDPORTION OF THE BARREL OF THE GUN AND PASSAGE OF THE COMPOUND INTO THEGUN, THE HOLDING MEANS FOR SAID GUN INCLUDING GUIDE MEANS SLIDABLYENGAGING THE FRAME FOR GUIDING MOVEMENT OF THE GUN AND PISTON ALONG THELONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF AND ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THECONTAINER, AND MECHANICALLY OPERATED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE MEANS FORMOVING SAID RECEPTACLE AND CAULKING GUN INTO THE RECEPTACLE, WHEREBYFORCE THE PISTON AND GUN INTO THE RECEPTACLE, WHEREBY COMPOUND IS MOVEDFROM THE RECEPTACLE TO LOAD THE GUN.